Latest Stories

Latest Stories

Joyce Hollman

Over 60? What milk can do for your brain power

For older adults, cognitive decline and dementia loom large. You can support your brain by giving it needed antioxidants. But it turns out that adding some milk to your diet provides the building blocks for the “mother of all antioxidants”…

Carolyn Gretton

Common symptoms of 6 cardiovascular diseases

When you hear the words “cardiovascular disease” (CVD), the first thing that comes to your mind is probably chest pain. But the symptoms are just as varied as the different diseases that fall under the CVD umbrella. Here are 6 you need to know…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

COVID’s blood clot risk persists in long-COVID syndrome

If you’ve had COVID-19, you thought you were out of the woods once your PCR test came back negative. Enter long COVID syndrome and symptoms from shortness of breath and fatigue to brain fog and even sexual dysfunction, and yes, that blood clot risk that persists…

Joyce Hollman

Red meat’s effects on the heart may have little to do with cholesterol

If your doctor isn’t harping on you to cut down on red meat, everyone else is. Because the age-old wisdom” says cholesterol clogs your arteries and causes heart disease. Well, red meat is a problem, but the culprit that makes it harmful to your heart resides in your gut…

Carolyn Gretton

A ‘food compass’ for healthy eating made easy

Healthy eating is overwhelming, what with trying to avoid salt, sugar and fats while trying to balance the right nutrients. What if a compass could guide you, especially one that found your favorite chips are not that bad in the big scheme of things?

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Why thinking hard makes you so tired

Hard physical work can leave you exhausted. That’s because physical activity causes a buildup of a toxic muscular sludge known as lactic acid, that contributes to muscle fatigue. Surprisingly, thinking hard can affect your brain the same way…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Can you really tame tinnitus in just 12 weeks?

For decades, experts have been trying to find an effective treatment for tinnitus, that infernal condition where sufferers hear phantom ringing, buzzing and even clicking. Much of it has been hit or miss. But the latest may offer relief in as little as 12 weeks…

Joyce Hollman

Low vitamin D linked to chronic disease biomarker

For years, research has backed vitamin D’s powerful effects on inflammation, but now researchers have uncovered a direct connection between low levels of the vitamin and a key biomarker known for signaling high disease risk…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Two minerals that could help prevent kidney stones

Kidney stones are excruciating. One second you’re fine, the next a stone trying to pass through the tiny channel of the ureter can drop you to your knees. If you’ve had one, you’ve got a 30 percent chance of another one within the next five years. Decrease that risk with two important nutrients…

Joyce Hollman

10 superfoods for seriously healthy smoothies

What’s not to love about smoothies? Quick, convenient, delicious — and when done right, bursting with nutrition. Here’s a list of ten superfood choices and their little-known benefits for enlarged prostate, ED, cholesterol and more…

Joyce Hollman

How acupuncture may prevent a diabetes diagnosis

Prediabetes is a condition in which blood sugar levels are abnormally high, but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes, yet. Lifestyle interventions can change that course, and additional support has been found in a surprising practice…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

How your microbiome affects your athletic performance

What’s bacteria got to do with fitness? A lot. In fact, taking probiotics before working out could be the secret to increased muscle growth. And now there’s proof problems with your gut microbiome can knock you off your game affecting performance too…

Carolyn Gretton

Stroke danger: Why plaque thins and breaks off

Strokes can happen in an instant. And the mechanisms that lead to some strokes and most heart attacks involve ruptured arterial plaque. But until recently, researchers haven’t been able to determine exactly why that happens…

Carolyn Gretton

The ‘other’ B vitamin that beats depression and stress

You may have read the serotonin connection to depression is under fire. And herbal options can leave you a little too relaxed. Just in time, the benefits of another B vitamin have been confirmed for both depression and anxiety…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Wine or beer: which is safer for your heart?

AFib is a condition that causes heart palpatations and carries a higher risk of stroke or heart failure. If you have AFib, drinking alcohol is a big no-no. And drinking too much can cause the condition to develop. But if becoming a teetotaler is not on your bucket list, research says all alcohol is not created equally.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

How a fatty liver can exponentially raise dementia risk

Fatty liver affects 1 in 4. The inflammation and damage may eventually lead to cirrhosis or worse. But if you’re one of 30 million with another common condition plus fatty liver, your risk for dementia skyrockets to insane levels. Trim your liver and your risks today…

Joyce Hollman

3 keys to better aging: Mitochondria, energy and muscle

Skeletal muscle constitutes 40 percent of your body and a world of metabolic activity. Research shows just how important it is to maintain those muscle cells, and igniting a process that leads to energy, endurance and longevity could help make that happen…

Joyce Hollman

Dizziness upon standing? How to stop it and why it happens

Orthostatic hypotension literally means “low blood pressure caused by an upright posture.” For some people, it can be an unpleasant experience, even without any underlying causes. It can also be dangerous if you’re not careful. Here’s how to cut down on episodes…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Having a cat could protect you against a staph infection

Bacteriotherapy is a cutting-edge approach to fighing MRSP, or methicillin-resistant staph. And a strain of bacteria has been identified that’s especially good at inhibiting it. You could say it’s a cat’s superpower…

Carolyn Gretton

Ultra-processed foods: The more you eat, the higher your dementia risk

Ultra-processed foods are everywhere, and they’re not doing you any favors, except making it easy to develop insulin resistance, obesity, inflammation, high blood pressure, heart disease — oh and did we mention the strong link to dementia?

Carolyn Gretton

The truth about exercise and dying early

Exercise has been established as a clear path to a longer life. But there’s been some debate about whether more is better or worse. Now we finally know just how much we need to avoid dying early, especially from a heart condition…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The diet that boosts men’s happiness hormone

Close to one in three men will experience depression in their lifetime. That not only affects mental health but also increases chronic disease risk. And men are less likely to seek help. But what’s that saying about the way to a man’s heart? It may be key to happiness too…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Only one type of plant-based diet decreases breast cancer risk

Switching to a plant-based diet is one of the best ways to stay healthy, from weight loss to avoiding diabetes. They’ve even been found to guard against cancer. But when it comes to breast cancer, not all plant-based diets are equal…

Carolyn Gretton

How a gout flare-up signals a countdown to stroke

People with gout tend to be at a higher risk of cardiovascular issues. That’s a connection research made a while ago. What’s more alarming is that a gout flare-up can actually begin the countdown to heart attack or stroke within months…

Carolyn Gretton

Cocoa’s leg up on healthy blood pressure

Plenty of studies confirm cocoa’s benefits. But results from controlled studies don’t always translate to real daily life. That’s where cocoa’s effects on blood pressure and arteries differ. Not only does it work, it laid to rest a concern doctors have about traditional BP treatments…

Joyce Hollman

Sourdough: The ‘better digestion, blood sugar and heart health’ bread

Just about anyone who tries sourdough bread becomes a fan. But there’s more to the light, chewy distinctively-flavored bread. Not only is it loaded with nutrition but it has unique properties that offer big heart, blood sugar and digestive benefits…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

This thyroid condition could raise dementia risk 80 percent

Your thyroid regulates many functions, including metabolism. That requires a steady flow of thyroid hormones circulating in your bloodstream. Too much, too little and you have problems, like weight gain and fatigue. But it looks like your thyroid has a broader impact than we ever thought…

Carolyn Gretton

Metastatic memory: Another reason to avoid palm oil

Palmitic acid, found in palm oil, has been linked with heart disease and cancer. Scientists have been working to unravel the reasons behind the latter, and they may have uncovered how palmitic acid turns regular tumor cells into aggressive spreaders of disease…

Joyce Hollman

When frequent napping may be a stroke warning

Is there anything more enjoyable than a nap on a rainy afternoon? You wouldn’t think there’d be any risk in that. Yet over the past twenty years, scientists have discovered frequent naps carry health implications that may be serious…

Craig Cooper

When low testosterone is actually a simple vitamin problem

Whether you want sustained strength in the gym, more brainpower in the boardroom, better performance in the bedroom, or other overall health benefits, you need to keep this vitamin at optimal levels, especially if you’re concerned about low T…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

How to make workouts seem less tough

Did you start the year with lofty fitness goals but slip back to your old, sedentary habits? Come January, you may find yourself filled with regret that you let another year slip by. You’ve still got six months — and luckily, the researchers at University of British Columbia found a way to make exercise easier…

Dr. Elizabeth Klodas MD, FACC

Why the doctor says you may not need statins after all

Been told you need a statin and questioning whether it’s the right step for you? You’re not alone: According to the Mayo Clinic Proceedings every man over 65 and every woman over 70 qualifies to be on statin drugs. But should everyone take a drug just because they reach a certain age? This doc says no…

Joyce Hollman

New ways to prevent type 2 diabetes before it takes hold

By the time the warning signs of elevated blood sugar show up, the damage has often been progressing silently for years. That’s a shame considering diabetes can be prevented, even reversed. What if more people at-risk could be identified sooner to prevent diabetes and its deadly complications?

Jenny Smiechowski

Electronic cigarettes make brain stem cells go up in smoke

Damaged or dead brain stem cells are never a good thing. They’re the cells that repair your brain tissue. In fact, fewer brain stem cells mean more brain aging and neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. And there’s a popular habit that does just this…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The diet that made Crohn’s disease go away

More than three million US adults live with irritable bowel disease from either Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, and the toll can be devastating. But there’s new hope… A case study found that just giving up foods that most Americans eat in excess led to complete disease remission.

Joyce Hollman

10 foods with sneaky natural toxins you should avoid

If you’re a pet owner, you probably know there are certain foods and plants that can kill your dog or cat if they swallow them. And, if you’re a parent, you definitely have a list of foods that your child should never eat. But as a healthy adult, there are also foods that are surprisingly toxic to you. Avoid these 10…

Jenny Smiechowski

The supplement that helps cancer spread

You’ve probably heard for decades that antioxidants reduce cancer risk because they counteract free radicals and prevent DNA damage. But what if the antioxidant-cancer relationship wasn’t as straightforward as it seems? What if sometimes antioxidants fought cancer… and other times they fueled it?

Jenny Smiechowski

Are your iron supplements putting you at risk for a serious skin infection?

Excess iron can reduce your risk of high cholesterol… which is great. That means it could help prevent heart disease and strokes. But this benefit comes with some baggage… Too much increases your risk of some potentially dangerous skin infections. So how do you get just enough?

Dr. Michael Cutler

8 ways artificial sweeteners harm your body

I’ve read conflicting information about the safety of artificial sweeteners. Still, I have always told my patients that diet sodas are worse for them than anything. Let me share why I still say this, and which fake sweeteners you should always avoid based on what the science shows about their safety. 

Margaret Cantwell

How to discover your body’s true age and dial it back

Age is one of the most accurate risk factors for death. An 80-year-old has a much higher risk of dying than a 30-year-old. We all know that. It’s just the way nature works. But did you know there’s a factor that predicts longevity better than age? And if you know it, you can dial it back…

Joyce Hollman

How dangerous mistakes and industry bias lead to bad medicine

When a medical device, procedure or drug is found to be no better than previous alternatives or even dangerous, it becomes known as a “medical reversal,” and may be taken off market. But how does an inferior treatment pass muster in the first place? I’m all for do-overs, but not when lives hang in the balance…

Jenny Smiechowski

Train your brain to tame your sweet tooth

Whenever I try to stop eating added sugar, I fail. After a few weeks of doing without the sweet stuff, I decide to reward myself. That’s when my resolve crumbles faster than the delicious brown sugar and oatmeal topping on my apple crisp. But there’s hope for me (and you, too, if you share my angst) on the horizon…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

Alexa, monitor my heart

You might already have Amazon’s Alexa in your house — at least have seen the TV commercials. The technology is helpful for everything from making phone calls and turning on our lights to discovering a new recipe and keeping up to date on the latest news. But Alexa may be good for more than just making your life easier… it could save your life too.

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

4 cancer prevention strategies every senior should practice

Seniors represent a growing population at special risk of cancer. In fact, more than two-thirds of all new cancers are diagnosed in adults age 60 and up. That means of all the cancer diagnoses that will occur this year, over 67 percent will be in in people over 60.

Joyce Hollman

Why eating bad food makes you feel good, and how to break the cycle

Eating an entire bag of your favorite chips may not seem like a big deal.. especially if stress is driving your actions. You deserve these guilty pleasures, right? But if you’re social distancing and dealing with anxiety, the detrimental effects of stress eating is the last thing you need…

Jenny Smiechowski

Why pomegranate can keep your muscles young and healthy

I’m all about thinking age-positive… I don’t think older people are senile and feeble. I don’t freak out about every fine line or gray hair. And I absolutely hate when anyone tries to put you in a box based on your age… whether you’re 30, 60 or 90. That being said, I want to age as best I can.

Jenny Smiechowski

The scariest ingredient in the cereal aisle

It makes continental breakfasts bearable. Plus, it’s just an all-around good snack in a pinch (ask Jerry Seinfeld). And it’s fortified. But there is a serious problem with our cereal that goes beyond its sugar, carb or grain content… Too many popular cereals are chock-full of a health-compromising chemical.

Dr. Elizabeth Klodas MD, FACC

5 lesser known benefits of exercise

One of the common characteristics of people who live long well is that they move their bodies every day. And there are many documented benefits of a regular fitness routine, including decreasing your risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes. But there are other benefits that may surprise you…

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

My psoriasis vanished when my extra weight did

Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease caused by an autoimmune dysfunction. Now, though, thanks to a new study, there might be an effective way for at least some people living with psoriasis to find relief. In fact, it worked for me years before this research made the connection…

Joyce Hollman

4 disease-fighting diets (and the one reason they work)

Science has studied traditional diets and found proof they work to keep minds sharp, bodies active and hearts healthy. So, which one is the best for you? To help you decide, here are four diets from different parts of the world and one thing that makes any of them work better for wellness…

Jenny Smiechowski

Why the diabetes benefits of low-carb diets go way beyond weight loss

People use Atkins, Keto, Paleo and other low-carb diets to improve their metabolic health. The question is… why are these diets so dang beneficial for people with type 2 diabetes and prediabetes? Well, that’s the interesting part. So is finding that you may not have to cut as many carbs as you think.

Joyce Hollman

Parkinson’s earliest symptom identified and may hold key to halting the disease

Parkinson’s treatment has traditionally been focused on improving the motor symptoms of the disease first by replacing dopamine, a neurotransmitter. But what if we could predict Parkinson’s, and start treating it before any symptoms ever appeared? Scientists are on to something…

Jenny Smiechowski

The painful post-cancer side effect no one talks about

Overcoming cancer is a major triumph. It’s like climbing Mount Everest or swimming across the Pacific Ocean. Nothing else you do in life will ever compare, because you faced death head on and beat it. But here’s the thing… Chronic pain is one of the most common but least talked about side effects of cancer.

Joyce Hollman

Why you need to get rid of your kitchen sponge… TODAY!

The most microbe-ridden thing in your kitchen is the one thing that’s supposed to be making things cleaner and more sanitary. It’s a hidden world of 5.5 trillion microbes that can make you sick. Fortunately, there are “workarounds” that can purge this repository of germs, if you change your habits just a bit…

Dr. Michael Cutler

7+ sweeteners as sweet on your health as they taste

Refined sugar has a bad rap. It has no micronutrients and the more refined sugar foods you consume, the faster diseases develop. Thankfully, there are better sweeteners to choose from that actually have nutritional value in contrast to the empty-calorie high glycemic ones…  

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

The common denominator behind obesity, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes

People who regularly get less than seven to eight hours of shut-eye each night are at higher risk of heart disease, heart failure, diabetes, stroke, and even dementia. But there’s one more sleep factor that can compound that damage if you don’t control it…

Joyce Hollman

6 fragrant pain relievers and how to use them to feel better

If you’re someone who lives with pain, you’re probably always looking for effective ways to control it. But most pain medicines aren’t always safe. What if you could find something that would relieve your pain gently and safely, relax you and offer other health benefits at the same time?

Joyce Hollman

Tight blood pressure control may be key to closing door on dementia

When researchers looked at the relationship between elevated blood pressure and the chance of developing dementia, the connection wasn’t as easy to pin down. But there was one finding that stood out, and that has real implications for the rest of us who want to lower our dementia risk…

Virginia Tims-Lawson

Take a vacation and prevent a disease

Metabolic syndrome isn’t a disease of its own. It’s a collection of risk factors that significantly raise the risk of heart disease. Good news is, the risk factors are known to be modifiable. Now, thanks to research by a team of scientists at Syracuse University, we’ve got an easy and enjoyable way you can do that…

Jenny Smiechowski

Is your back pain a sign of Ankylosing Spondylitis?

Everyone deals with back pain from time to time. Sometimes it’s caused by too much sitting, too much standing or too much lifting. But what if your back pain is ankylosing spondylitis, a condition you may have seen in headlines and wondered, “what is that?”

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